


Phone Calls

by Ashiepants



Series: Head Over Feet [26]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Comfort, Death, Drama, F/M, Family, Gen, Mourning, Romance, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:24:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashiepants/pseuds/Ashiepants
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny worries about Alex. Alex worries about her brother. Thanksgiving is coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phone Calls

Phone Calls

Sonny worried the whole of the night, rolling over every half hour to check if Alex texted or called. In the morning he contemplated not going to work in case she needed him, but decided maybe it was better to just go in. 

"Someone was up late." Kennedy commented to Sonny as he watched him pour coffee. "She keep you up all night?"

She had, Sonny thought, but not in the way Kennedy meant it. He glared instead. He didn't have time for this asshole this morning. 

"Fine keep your secret girlfriend." Kennedy shrugged. "She's cute though. Wonder what she sees in you?"

Sonny rolled his eyes but remained silent as he made his way back to his desk with his coffee. He tapped his foot. He felt impatient and uneasy. 

"You alright?" Amanda asked from her desk. "It doesn't look like the kind of long night someone wants to have."

"Oh, don't be nosy, Amanda!" Sonny snapped.

"Sorry." She backed off and looked back at her work. 

"Sorry," Sonny apologized. "Alex's brother...he got hurt and they don't know if he's alright."

She raised an eyebrow. "And you're not with her?"

Sonny felt even more guilty. He should have insisted on going with her. 

"She...didn't want me to go." He sighed. "I haven't met her whole family yet."

"So, this is major, right?" She asked. "Go to the hospital!"

"He's a marine. I don't even know where he is." He shook his head. 

"Oh." Amanda frowned. "So he might be-"

Sonny shot her a look. 

"Well don't wait to tell Olivia. She'll let you go if it's serious." Amanda explained. 

"Yeah." Sonny nodded. "Yeah you're right."  
****  
It was just after noon when Alex finally called. Sonny took his phone into the hall to take the call. 

"Al? What happened? Are you okay?" He asked frantically. 

He could hear her smile through the airwaves.

"I'm okay." She sounded relieved to hear his voice. 

Sonny sighed. 

"Henry got shot in the leg." She explained. "Fucking bad shot. Some kid, got scared, shot Henry in the leg! It just missed the artery!"

"But he's okay?" Sonny asked. 

"Yeah. He was in surgery." Alex sighed. "Fucking military calls his wife like 'there's been an accident your husband is injured.' Then don't call again for hours!!"

"Well you sound better." Sonny smiled. 

"He's out of surgery and they're sending him home." She added. 

"Home?" He asked. 

"To New York. He should be cleared to travel by tomorrow." She explained. "He might limp, but he'll be okay."

"So someone finally broke his leg to keep him out the service?" Sonny smirked. 

"You're going to joke about this?" Alex snipped. 

He made a face. "Sorry. So I can meet him, yeah?"

"Of course, the whole clan." She said. "But...I mean now that Henry will be here for Thanksgiving...and Walt..."

"Oh." Sonny sounded immediately disappointed. 

"I don't know yet." She sounded nervous. "Just...I'll let you know."

"Yeah." He replied. "You gonna be home tonight?"

"Yeah, Hope took my shift." She told him. "We'll talk tonight."

"Okay." He made a face. "I love you."

"I love you too." She grinned.

"Carisi!" Fin called and motioned back into the squad room.

"I gotta go. See you tonight." Sonny ended the call and followed Fin.  
****  
Alex was laying down on her bed when Sonny got home. She looked like she was breathing very deeply and he thought she might be asleep until he heard her whimper. 

"Hey." He greeted her gently. 

"Oh, you're home." She quickly wiped her face with her palms. "Hi."

"Have you been crying?" He noticed as he laid down next to her. 

She sniffed. "I'm sorry. I haven't done this in a long time."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Sonny kissed her forehead. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay." She sighed heavily. "I just miss my dad."

He hugged her tight. "It's okay."

"Just everyone together like that..." She sighed. 

"I should've went with you." Sonny sighed as he held her. "I felt bad I left you all alone all day."

"You didn't leave me alone." Alex shook her head. "I told you not to come Sonny."

"I still should've gone." He frowned. 

"You didn't need to." She repeated but her eyes welled up anyway. "I knew he had to be okay because they didn't send an officer. Did you know they really send people to your door to tell you? Just like the movies."

Sonny just swallowed. 

"Walt was about to graduate at Columbia..." Alex had a pained expression. 

"Walt went to Columbia?!" Sonny widened his eyes and interrupted her story. 

"Walt's the perfect kid, Sonny, can't you tell?" She almost laughed. "I was at my parents house by chance that day. It was something stupid like I wanted to find some book I read in high school..."

Sonny just frowned and listened. 

She continued. "Anyway, there was this knock and...my mom screamed downstairs. I don't even know how I got downstairs. Then she told me and I peed my pants a little. But then I just went on pure adrenaline. I made my mom a drink and I made the officers a drink and I took my dad's suburban and drove all the way to Columbia to get Walt."

"You drove from Long Island?" He asked. 

"Yup and I paid like $1000 to park somewhere ridiculous and found him in some meeting with a professor...I burst in his office." She explained. "And I pulled him out and I wouldn't tell him until we got in the car. And then I started bawling and Walt had to drive..."

She started crying again. 

"You don't have to tell me this, baby." He brushed her hair away from her face. 

"I never told anyone the whole story." She sobbed. "I couldn't. I didn't want to. But I can't stop thinking about it. I mean I know Henry is okay. And I know you're okay but I-I- I can't hold it in."

Sonny held onto her tighter. "Shhh. I'm right here."

She wasn't crying hard or loud. Sonny had the sense she'd been crying all day. She was probably exhausted. 

"Where was Henry?" Sonny asked. 

"He was in Afghanistan, they wouldn't let him leave for almost 2 weeks. It was really bad." She explained. "He was supposed to be getting leave for Walt's graduation a few weeks after. They both were..." She sucked in breath. 

Sonny continued rubbing her back. 

"Walt barely graduated at all." She shook her head. "He had like 4 weeks left and he missed a ton. But between my mom and I we made him."

"You're a good sister, Al." Sonny kissed her forehead again. "And you're a good daughter."

"I'm not. I don't go see my mom as much as I should." She frowned. 

"Aw, c'mon I don't go out to Staten Island as much as I could. It's too far now." He explained. "You do your best."

"But I've been the only one here." Alex sighed. "Being a nurse gives you lots of excuses to miss things."

"You're not as bad as you think you are." He sighed. "You let your little brother basically live here and you babysit your nephew all the time even though you have a full time job Al. Lots of sisters don't do that."

She gave him a reluctant smile. 

"You don't give yourself any credit." He shook his head. 

She smiled fuller. "I love you."

Sonny kissed her and smiled. 

"I should've let you come with me, I'm sorry." Alex added. 

"I get it." He sighed and rolled onto his back. "I dunno what good it would have been to have me there, intrudin'."

"You would've intruded." Alex was quick to dispel. "I missed you. Maybe it could've been distracting for my mom."

"I could've played with Nate again." Sonny smiled. 

"Yeah." She smiled back. "He was eatin up all the attention from Walt though."

"I can't wait 'til James is that age. He can't do anything." Sonny complained. 

Alex giggled. "Yeah what a drag those week old babies are."

Sonny grinned at her. "You wanna eat somethin'? I'll microwave you a burrito."

She smirked at him and pushed him away from her playfully. 

"What? I'm sorry I know you so well!" He laughed. 

"Will you make me pasta?" She asked. 

He rolled his eyes. 

"Please!" She begged and batted her eyelashes. 

"Ya don't have to do all that." He pulled himself up. "What kind of food do you have? Tomatoes?"

"Maybe?" She guessed. 

"I'm gonna have to teach you how to cook, princess." He walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. 

She followed. "Why? I have you to do it for me!"

Sonny lifted his head out of the fridge where he was searching for usable ingredients. He gave her a pout which just made her grin even more. 

"Lesson one, clean out your fridge every once and awhile." He pulled out an almost indistinguishable bag of wilted and gooey spinach. 

Alex looked embarrassed and took the bag from him and tossed it in the trash. 

"Lesson two, your boyfriend has the good stuff upstairs." He sighed, giving up on her fridge and slamming it closed. He opened the freezer and grabbed a frozen burrito. He handed it to Alex. 

"Here's a snack to tide you over." He smirked.  
****  
Alex felt anxious all weekend. She almost forgot to worry about what Sonny's sisters would be like or if his mom would like her. She was too worried about Henry being home again. About how bad his injury would be and how he'd feel about being sidelined. About Sonny finally meeting everyone. About Thanksgiving...

Sonny could tell she was stressed. Her eyes were just dimmer. Not the way they got when she was exhausted and over-exerted from work, this was a different kind of tired. He didn't know what to say so he said nothing until she did. He woke up while she was in the shower and cooked her eggs and made coffee before he had to get himself ready for work. He left a sticky note on her favorite mug: xoxo Sonny. 

On Monday, Henry was due to fly in. Walt called early that he was picking him up in the suburban and if Al would go with him he'd bring her a knish from Schwartz's. She was working all day but promised she'd be by this week. It already made her feel guilty. 

Sonny texted at 9:30 to see what she was up to. She replied "work" with no punctuation. He sent her a picture of him making a goofy face that he regretted because Fin watched him do it. He grimaced and Fin told him to sext from the bathroom.

Alex couldn't hide her grin when she checked her phone and saw his dumb face. She didn't want to do family stuff and get guilted, she wanted to just make spaghetti with Sonny and lay in bed with him and not do anything. Well maybe him. 

"Who's that?" Hope peeked over Alex's shoulder at her phone. "I've seen him- is that your boyfriend?!"

Alex blushed further but rolled her eyes. "Maybe."

She put her phone away. 

"Is that the cop that got shot a couple weeks ago?" Hope asked eagerly. "That's why you were in there!"

Alex rolled her eyes, she answered coolly, "Yes."

"I can't believe it's that detective guy! I've seen him a bunch of times." Hope grinned. "He's cute."

"I know he is!" Alex answered harshly. 

Hope laughed. "I'm not gonna steal him."

"Sorry." Alex felt embarrassed she was so possessive.

Hope raised her eyebrows. "Lucky you!"

Alex's phone suddenly started ringing. She left Hope at the nurses station and started walking down the hall as she answered. 

"Henry?" Alex picked up. 

"Hey baby sister." She could hear his grin. 

"I'm barely 11 months younger than you. That's hardly a baby sister." She complained but she grinned too. It wasn't really as hard to talk to him again as she let herself believe over the weekend. He was still her brother.

"How are you?" She asked concerned. 

"I've been better." He explained. "But it's good to be back where the air smells like FREEDOM!"

Alex laughed. "You're an idiot!"

"So you coming to visit your invalid brother?" He asked. "Or you gonna be busy til Thanksgiving?"

"Well I am busy with work and...stuff..." Alex answered reluctantly. "And about Thanksgiving..."

"It doesn't have to be special. Ang can get a turkey from work and do most of the cooking. I figure we all get drunk and watch football."

"You can't get drunk Henry." Alex rolled her eyes. "Your painkill-"

"Alright doc." He cut her off. "Just buy a pie and some vah-kuh and we'll see you Thursd-"

"No Henry. I...I kind of already have plans." She bit her lip. "I mean you kind of assumed..."

"Plans? You don't have to be at the hospital do you?" He asked. 

"Um...no." She sighed. This was hard even over the phone. "I...I made plans with my boyfriend, Sonny."

"Your boyfriend, Sonny?" Henry questioned. "That sounds made up. What kind of name is Sonny? Who's Sonny?"

She bit her lip again. "I've been seeing him awhile. He's a cop-"

"A cop? A cop named Sonny?" Henry laughed.

Alex rolled her eyes. "C'mon. I really...it's kind of serious and I already promised to spend Thanksgiving with his family."

"Lexi..." He groaned. "C'mon you're gonna choose this guy over me?"

"Why do you have to make it that way? I'm not picking him OVER you. You weren't here! He's my boyfriend it's not just a guy!"

"Lex!" He pleaded. 

"If you're going to be an ass about it..."

"I'm not!" He argued. "But when was the last time I was here for Thanksgiving?"

She was silent because she remembered the exact last time he was home for Thanksgiving. 

"Have you seen Nate lately?" Henry changed the subject. "He's so big Lex. I can't believe it. He almost talks!"

"Yeah I know. He's a regular McClure." Alex smiled. "I see him all the time. He looks just like you ya know?"

"Nah, he's pretty like Ang." He corrected. "I'm kinda ugly."

"Well that's true."

"C'mon come see your ugly brother." He urged. "Walt is staying over tonight."

"I can probably come after work but I have to talk to Sonny about Thanksgiving." She explained. 

He sighed. "Just tell him your family is more important."

"Henry!" She scolded. 

"Well it's true." He explained. 

She silently fumed because he was only 75% right. Sonny was at least 25% more important than he was to her now. 

"I'll see you later." She repeated. "I gotta go."

"Alright." He sighed. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She smiled. 

"You didn't mention this Sonny guy in your last email." He added. "Sonny." He muttered and she could tell he was shaking his head. 

She tried to remember the last time she talked about a guy in an email that wasn't Carmelo Anthony. 

"Yeah well I write you emails like I'm protecting state secrets so it's all in code." She joked. "It wasn't serious then."

"But it is now?" He sounded annoyed. 

"I'll talk to you later Henry." She rolled her eyes. "I gotta get back to work."

"Alright. Love ya Lex." 

"I love you too, shithead." She signed off.  
****  
"You wanna get a bite?" Fin asked Sonny. 

The Kirkland arraignment went a little quicker than expected. Sonny and Fin had some time. Sonny wasn't listening, he was thinking about how far they were from the hospital. He texted Alex. 

"Lunch? I'm near Mercy."

She didn't answer. 

"You mind we stop by Mercy?" Sonny asked. 

"Craving cafeteria food?" Fin raised an eyebrow. "Or a brunette nurse?"

Sonny smirked. "I wanna bring Al lunch. It's been a rough weekend for her."

"As long as you're buyin'!" Fin let the younger detective lead the way.  
****  
"You looking for Alex?" Hope was at the triage desk and grinned when Sonny walked in with a paper bag in hand. 

Sonny was momentarily caught off guard. "Uh, yeah, she free?"

Hope continued to smile. "No."

"Oh uh...just for a second?" He asked with a wink. 

Hope swallowed. "I'm not supposed to leave the desk. Give me a minute."

She held up her finger as she picked up the phone. Sonny looked back over his shoulder. Fin looked a little impatient and sighed. Hope hung up the phone. 

"Verdict?" Sonny asked. 

"She'll be right out." Hope nodded. 

"Thanks." Sonny smiled at her. 

"Did you bring her lunch?" Hope asked. 

"Yeah." Sonny nodded. 

"That's really sweet." Hope added while checking the charts in front of her. "Alex deserves stuff like that."

"I just figured with all the stress about her brother she might like-"

"What happened to her brother?" Hope looked up with wide eyes. 

Sonny realized he'd just let on too much to her nosy co-worker. Alex was gonna be mad!

"Hey?" Alex appeared through the double doors. "What's up?"

He noticed a smear of blood on her scrub top. He suddenly realized this was a bad idea. 

"I, uh, I brought you lunch..." He held up the bag. 

She smiled appreciatively and pulled him just beyond the doors where Hope could no longer lazer them with her wide doe eyes. 

She took the bag and kissed his cheek. "You're the best."

Sonny grinned back, cheeks pinking up. "I just thought you might want a break or-"

"It's great." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Can you...?" He motioned with his neck. 

"Sorry." She grimaced and shook her head. "I gotta get back to work."

"Right, of course." Sonny looked a little disappointed. 

Alex reached over and hugged him. "No, this was really nice babe. I wish I could go eat with you-"

"McClure? Little help?" A doctor raced by pulling on a trauma gown and heading for the ambulance bay. 

"I should get back to the precinct." He kissed her forehead. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Love you!" She called after him. 

Sonny turned and smiled one of those knee weakening smiles and waved. 

Alex left her lunch in the breakroom off of triage and went to help with the latest incoming.  
****  
"Yeah?" Alex answered. It was Tuesday evening. She never made it out to Riverdale the previous night but Henry was still giving her a hard time about Thanksgiving, he called every couple of hours to find out the plan.

"Hey so I was talking to Mom. She said she hasn't even met this guy. What's that about? Did you talk to him?" Henry started in right away. 

Alex rolled her eyes. As she continued talking to her brother Sonny arrived at Alex's place with a shout. 

"Honey I'm home!" He smirked. He dropped his bag on the sofa and walked into the bedroom where she was still chatting with Henry. 

"I still have to talk to Sonny." She argued with Henry but she smiled at Sonny and briefly greeted him with a hug while he kissed her cheek. 

She looked slightly stressed. Sonny frowned. He sat on the edge of the bed and began removing his socks and shoes. Then loosened his tie and hung it over the lamp finial. 

"Henry I'll see what I can- don't talk to me like that!" She yelled. "I'm hanging up!"

Sonny had only seen her interact with Walt and it was obvious their relationship was much better. They argued the way brother and sisters did, over dumb things and they were over it a second later. So far with Henry he'd seen her do nothing but fight over Thanksgiving plans. With Henry there was tension in every conversation she had with him, though Sonny had a feeling it was more complicated than that. 

He knew he fought with his sisters from time to time too. Gina, with her endless cycle of "the one." He was surprised there wasn't some guido joining them for dinner this year, but that probably meant she was going to be sulky and inconsolable if she saw an ounce of affection between himself and Al. 'Why not Gina?' was her favorite guilt trip. Theresa would talk about how much money her boyfriend makes and then make excuses why he couldn't be there, again, this year. Then she'd ask Sonny about finishing law school and getting out of the slums. He was trying to practice his retorts but knew Al would stick up for him. He was looking forward to what she might say if Theresa teased him just based off the way she talked to Barba. Then again, Bella had a new baby, that was going to keep the worst side of his sisters at bay. They'd all fawn over James and be the sweet girls he knew they all were deep down. 

'They're all gonna love Al, anyway,' he thought. 'Shes a catch!'

"Okay!" Alex continued her argument with Henry. "I'll figure it out alright. Bye!"

She hung up and threw her phone on the bed. She shut her eyes and covered her face with her hands. 

"Hey." Sonny put his arm around her shoulder. 

"It's stressing me out!" She whined. 

"He really wants to spend it with you...?" Sonny asked. 

"I- I want to be with everybody but...I promised you and I wanna...I wanna do this for you." She looked over at him with big eyes. "But I don't think...I can't go."

"It's okay..." He started slowly. He was disappointed but he didn't want to keep her from having a complete family for the first time in over a year. 

"It's not okay!" She yelled. "It's not fair!"

"Babe, I'll be fine." He sighed. "Look I'll tell my mom right now. It's not a big deal, you can come to Sunday dinner next week or..."

Sonny didn't finish. He texted his mom as he was talking. He got up off the bed and paced, tossing his phone beside her on the bed. 

"What?" She asked. 

"What if I...go with you instead?"

"To my mom's?" She asked, nervously. "I...well..."

"C'mon my family is always here and yours isn't. I already know Walt and..." He cut himself off when he saw her face. "Al, it'll be fine."

"This is just turning into such a disaster!" She groaned. "Let's have our own Thanksgiving!"

Sonny smirked. "Hot pockets?"

"And a salad, my specialty!" She grinned back.

The phone rang and Alex picked it up annoyed without even looking at the number. 

"Henry! Stop calling. I already told Sonny I couldn't go. His parents are going to think I'm this awful flaky girl who doesn't care about their son at all. Are you happy now?" She yelled at her brother. "You fucking spoiled brat."

"Excuse me? Alex? This is Alex?" A confused woman asked on the other end. 

"Hello?" Alex looked confused then pulled the phone away from her ear enough to see that she had picked up Sonny's phone and was talking to his mother. 

Her eyes went wide and she waved her arms in Sonny's direction. He had his back to her. 

"Hello?" His mother asked again. 

"Tell your brother that I can go with you to your moms house if-" Sonny turned and looked confused at Alex's expression.

"Um... Here talk to Sonny." She held the phone out awkwardly. 

"What?" Sonny raised an eyebrow. 

"It's. Your. Mom!" She whispered furiously. 

"Ma?" He put the phone to his ear. "Yeah, that's Alex...that's why I called...her big brother came home for Thanksgiving as a surprise..."

Alex smirked at him referring to Henry as her 'big brother' it sounded almost childish. 

"Do you have room for that many people in the house?" Sonny asked as he began pacing. "I dunno if they would want to...lemme talk to-...Ma!...Mom! Lemme talk to Al...she likes it...I don't care if she has a mouth on her." 

He smirked at Alex. She smiled back. 

"Okay...okay." He rolled his eyes at Alex and flapped his hand open and closed, saying 'okay' at least 3 more times. "Okay...I love ya too. Bye Ma."

He slipped his phone back in his back pocket and ran his hands up to go through his hair. 

"She hates me, right?" 

"How could she hate you?" He kissed her forehead and sat down again on the bed. "Do you..,think your family would like to eat dinner with my family?"

"Uhh..."

Sonny jumped right in, "Okay, I know that sounds scary, but-"

"No you don't understand-" Alex started. 

"It doesn't mean we're any more serious than we are now, I promise." Sonny assured her. "We can move at your speed."

She smiled. "I just know how Henry will be."

"It's a good compromise. C'mon he showed up unannounced!" Sonny complained. "I know it's a little...weird but I just want you to be happy. I wanna spend it with you."

Alex grinned but then sighed. "Henry is just going to be like 'Lex, he's not your family. I don't come home for the holidays all the time. And Nate needs his auntie.'"

"He guilts you that bad?" Sonny asked. 

"Henry is my mother. My mom already said the same thing. 'Oh Alexandra, you know you're not going to miss your brother on Thanksgiving. We don't get to spend them together ever!'" She dramatically impersonated her mom. 

"But you will all get to be together. Everyone can come, Henry and Ang and the kid and your mom. Just come to my folks place. My mom is gonna make way too much food anyway. And Bella will be disappointed if you don't go."

"Are you going to guilt me too!?" She flashed her eyes at him. 

"No!" He shook his head and put his arm around her shoulders. "Look if you hafta go to your mom's I'll go with you."

"Sonny-"

"I'm going wherever you're going." He finished in a way that meant there was no argument. 

She started to smile. Her phone rang. This time she looked to confirm it was in fact her brother. 

"Hey." She said abruptly. "They've invited everyone over; you and Angie, mom...please don't be difficult! I'm trying to be...I don't know them either!...well maybe they will be my family one day, you don't know..."

Alex flashed a look at Sonny, secretly wishing he hadn't heard her say that. Sonny said nothing but got up to pretend to go into the bathroom so she could talk to Henry alone. 

"You realize I'm not a child? I have my own life. It's not my job to drop it for you..." Sonny could hear her yell at a louder volume now that he was out of the room. He frowned at his reflection in the mirror. 

"It's not like I don't want to see you, but this is important to Sonny...I miss you too shit head." Sonny could hear Alex roll her eyes. "Well talk to Ang. Mom's not even prepared to make a Thanksgiving dinner. We're going to eat matzo ball soup and watch the wizard of Oz again...omg that was the worst Thanksgiving ever! Why would you even say that?"

She sounded shocked but laughed. Sonny peeked out from the bathroom door. Sure enough she was grinning. 

"Okay. Well call me back...I know..." She rolled her eyes again. "I know...he said that?...he's a good guy, really. You'll like him..." 

She looked over toward the bathroom. Sonny hid from sight and started running the water. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked. "This is important to me too! He's important to me...okay...fine...I love you too."

Sonny came out of the bathroom as she hung up the phone. She sighed when she looked at him. 

"So...?"

"So I looks like we're having a full house for Thanksgiving." Alex smiled weakly. 

"What's the matter?" He asked. 

She took a breath. "Nothing. I'm just...nervous...anxious."

"This is gonna be great!" Sonny assured. "The whole gang!"

"Right." Alex bit her lip. "Your mom doesn't mind?"

"Of course not!" Sonny shook his head. "Do you know how many times half my dad's squad showed up for dinner? She always makes extra!"  


**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like to, I always enjoy comments :D


End file.
